Reusable conformable waterproof wrap

ABSTRACT

A reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap protects stacks of boxes or other items from damage by ground level liquids. The wrap can be made of one or more sheets of one or more materials that together provide durability, abrasion resistance and waterproofing for the bottom portion of the item, extending up the sides a desired distance from the ground. Items are placed on the wrap, and a margin of unused material around the periphery can be folded up and securely wrapped around the item. Heavy weight Velcro® can allow folds of extra material at the corners to be secured flat along the vertical sides of item. Velcro® or other straps can be provided for extra reinforcement, tautness, and security. Riser strips and/or riser points on the bottom of the wrap can help reduce friction when the wrap is secured on the bottom of a stack of boxes being pushed or dragged, such as along a warehouse floor.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/844,758, filed on Aug. 24, 2007 and entitled REUSABLE CONFORMABLEWATERPROOF WRAP, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C.§119(e) to both U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/840,479, filed onAug. 24, 2006 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/914,693, filed onApr. 27, 2007, both entitled REUSABLE WATERPROOF WRAPPING, theentireties of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions relate to protective coverings, and more particularly, towaterproof protective coverings.

BACKGROUND

Large quantities of boxes and various types of products are frequentlystored in warehouses for safekeeping, where they can hopefully be keptin a dry and protected state. Cardboard boxes, which are commonly usedas containers for a wide variety of products, readily absorb moisture towhich they are exposed. Cardboard boxes that have absorbed water orother liquid can allow that liquid to pass in to the contents of thebox, possibly damaging the contents. Furthermore, the structuralintegrity of cardboard boxes exposed to liquid can be compromised. Whensuch boxes are stacked, as is common in warehouse settings, the wetboxes may no longer be able to support the weight of the boxes abovethem. Other types of containers and products can also suffer damage whenexposed to excessive amounts of moisture. Thus, allowing boxes and otherstored items to become wet potentially exposes the contents to damageand the owners to financial loss.

Stored items are frequently most susceptible to damage from exposure towater at the ground level that can result from flooding, water mainleaks, other leaks, and the like. One way to protect boxes and otherwarehouse items from ground level moisture is to store the boxes onpallets made from wood or other rigid, weight-bearing materials, whichraise the boxes up off the warehouse floor. The weight of the palletsfrequently precludes the possibility of stacking one full pallet on topof another loaded pallet. Thus, to take some advantage of the ceilingheight available in most warehouses, racks can be installed along thewalls and into the floor of the warehouse onto which one pallet loadedwith boxes can be placed per rack.

However, these solutions suffer from several disadvantages. Both palletsand racks take up a great amount of extra space in a warehouse beyondthe space used by the boxes/product they support. Horizontally, anunused clearance space around the outer margin of the top surface ofeach pallet is frequently left clear of any boxes. Thus, stacks of boxesthat are positioned on pallets cannot be stored as compactly as canstacks of boxes that are simply placed side-by-side on a warehousefloor. Vertically, racking systems also create unused space between theracks, which is used to allow for a fork lift to add and remove palletsfrom the racks. Pallets and racks also greatly limit the flexibility ofpossible storage configurations, since they must be configured to allowfor the maneuvering of fork lifts, which insert long fork extensionsinto openings in the pallets for lifting and moving of the pallets andany load the pallets are supporting. Furthermore, pallets are heavy,adding “dead weight” to each load of boxes being moved and therebylimiting the number of boxes that can be moved by the fork lift at onetime when a pallet is included. The smaller number of boxes per load, inturn, greatly increases the number of trips and amount of time taken totransport the boxes from location to location for shipping or within thewarehouse. Furthermore, even when not in use, pallets take up asignificant amount of space, are expensive, and call for frequentrefurbishing and replacement.

A move away from the use of pallets is occurring in many commercialwarehouse settings in order to avoid the above-mentioned deficiencies,as well as the monetary and environmental costs of the purchase and useof the pallets themselves. Slip sheets, which are basically thin sheetsof fiberboard or plastic, sized to fit under one or more stacks ofboxes, sometimes having a thin lip that projects out from under one ortwo sides of the stack for gripping, provide a low-cost, low-profileresponse to some of the above-listed problems. However, convertingstandard fork lifts to accommodate the use of slip sheets by theaddition of specialized hardware is very costly, and the associatedworker training needed to operate the new machinery typically takeseveral months to be completed. More significantly, although slip sheetsare designed for use where boxes are stored on a warehouse floor, slipsheets do not address the issue of protection from ground level waterdamage whatsoever.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of a reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap are disclosedthat protect boxes from damage by liquids on the floor of a warehouse orother location. Embodiments of the wrap are made of one or more sheetsof materials that can be securely wrapped around the base of a box orother item needing protection. At least one sheet provides awaterproofing inner layer for the wrap, and at least one sheet providesan abrasion-resistant outer layer. In various embodiments, the wrapcovers the bottom and securely wraps around the sides of the box up to adesired height from the floor, such as, for example, a height of 6″ upfrom the floor of the warehouse, in order to protect the box from aflood of up to an anticipated depth of water or other liquid. A boxprotected with the wrap can be kept safe from ground-level water ormoisture and can be stored on a warehouse floor without use of a pallet.Embodiments of the wrap can use Velcro® or other hook and loop materialfor quick and easy securing and releasing of the wrap in order toconform to the shape of one or more boxes or other items being protectedby the wrap. Other types of securing systems can additionally oralternatively be used.

Some embodiments of the wrap can also include one or more riser strips,such as, for example, but without limitation, riser strips of a webbed,seatbelt-like material, attached to a bottom side of the wrap. The riserstrips help reinforce the bottom of the wrap and keep it slightly orpartially up off the floor, thereby reducing friction on the bottom ofthe wrap when the stack of boxes is dragged or pushed while moving thestack from one location to another and accordingly prolonging the usablelife of the wrap. In some embodiments, the wrap includes four riserstrips, attached to the bottom of the wrap in a “tic-tac-toe”configuration, that create four double-thick intersections which provideadditional lift up from the ground level and a further reduction infriction when the loaded wrap is dragged or pushed along a floor.

In accordance with at least one embodiment disclosed herein, a wrap forprotecting at least a bottom portion of at least one article fromexposure to moisture can comprise an outer sheet of at least oneflexible material that has an exterior side and an interior side. Thewrap can further comprise an inner sheet of flexible, highly waterproofmaterial that has an interior side and an exterior side. The interiorside of the inner sheet can be joined to the interior side of the outersheet, such that the joined combination of the inner sheet and the outersheet has a perimeter portion and can be sized and configured to extendunder a bottom portion of at least one article. The perimeter portion ofthe joined combination of the inner sheet and the outer sheet can befurther configured to extend outwardly beyond the bottom portion of theat least one article and to fold up along sides of the at least onearticle. The wrap can further comprise a releasable securing system thatcan be configured to hold the perimeter portion of the joinedcombination of the inner sheet and the outer sheet flat against thesides of the at least one article, until the securing system isreleased.

In accordance with a further embodiment, a flexible conformablewaterproof wrap can be configured to waterproof bottom portions ofarticles of different sizes and can comprise at least one flexiblewaterproof sheet of material. The flexible waterproof sheet of materialcan be configured to extend under at least one article that can beplaced on the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material. The atleast one article can have dimensions that define a perimeter portion ofthe at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material, wherein theperimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheet ofmaterial can extend out from under the at least one article when the atleast one article rests on the at least one flexible waterproof sheet ofmaterial. The perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproofsheet of material can be configured to conformably fold up flat alongthe at least one article. The flexible conformable waterproof wrap canfurther comprise a releasable securing system that can be configured tohold the perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheetof material flat up along the at least one article, in conformance withthe size of the at least one article.

In accordance with a yet further embodiment, a wrap can comprise atleast one sheet of material with a central portion that can be sized andconfigured to extend under at least one article. The at least one sheetof material can be configured to be folded up around the bottom portionof the at least one article, such that the central portion has aninterior side that can face towards the at least one article when the atleast one sheet of material is folded up around the bottom portion ofthe at least one article, and the central portion can further have anexterior side that faces away from the at least one article when the atleast one sheet of material is folded around the bottom portion of theat least one article The wrap can further comprise a releasable securingsystem that can hold folds of the at least one sheet of material flatagainst sides of the at least one article until the securing system isreleased. The wrap further can comprise a plurality of riser strips thatcan be attached to the exterior side of the central portion of the atleast one sheet of material. At least one of the riser strips can have athickness that can, cause the at least one riser strip to extend downfrom the central portion of at least one sheet of material when in useand to hold the central portion of at least one sheet of materialslightly elevated up from a surface upon which the wrap and the at leastone article can be resting.

For purposes of summarizing the inventions, certain aspects, advantages,and novel features have been described herein. It is to be understoodthat not necessarily all such aspects, advantages, or novel featureswill be embodied in any particular embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinventions are described in detail below with reference to the drawingsof embodiments, which embodiments are intended to illustrate and not tolimit the present inventions.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of one embodiment of a reusable,conformable, waterproof wrap fit onto the bottom of a stack of boxes.

FIG. 2 depicts a plan view of an inner sheet of one embodiment of thereusable, conformable, waterproof wrap as seen when the wrap is laid outflat and is ready to be wrapped around a box or other item.

FIG. 3 depicts a plan view of the embodiment of the reusable,conformable, waterproof wrap from FIG. 2, as seen when the wrap isflipped bottom-side up and the outer sheet is laid out flat for viewing.

FIG. 4 depicts a detailed view of a binding that can be provided aroundan outside edge of the reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap.

FIG. 5A depicts an enlarged view of the reusable, conformable,waterproof wrap in an intermediate step of a process of wrapping arounda bottom corner of a box.

FIG. 5B depicts another enlarged view of the reusable, conformable,waterproof wrap shown in FIG. 5A, after the wrap has been secured aroundthe bottom corner of the box.

FIG. 6A depicts one embodiment of a marking system that can be used withthe reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap.

FIG. 6B shows the marking system in use on an assembled reusable,conformable, waterproof wrap.

FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of the reusable, conformable, waterproofwrap being used to protect the top of a stack of boxes.

FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of the reusable conformable waterproof wrapbeing gripped by the clamping plates of a warehouse fork vehicle with aclamp system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of a waterproof, conformable, and durable warehousewrap are described below. In some embodiments, the wrap can be used toprotect items such as stacks of boxes stored on a warehouse floor bycreating a waterproof barrier between the concrete floor and the box orboxes placed on the floor at the bottom of the stack, protecting themfrom floods, water main breaks, and leaks on warehouse and other floors.At least some embodiments of the wrap can possess sufficient abrasionresistance and durability to withstand being dragged or pushed along thefloor with boxes stacked on top and without suffering structural damagethat can lead to water permeation if subsequently exposed to water.Nylon riser strips on the under side of the wrap can lift the wrapslightly off the floor and advantageously can further reduce frictionbetween the wrap and floor when the wrap is installed on the bottom of abox that is being moved across the floor.

Using wraps in place of pallets yields many benefits. Utilizing wrapscan reduce warehouse costs. Fewer wraps than pallets are needed because,generally, one wrap can be used on the bottom of every stack. Thus,fewer extra wraps need to be kept on hand and stored when not in use.Even if stored, the wraps take up only a small fraction of the spacerequired by pallets or racking. A warehouse wrap can be re-used manytimes. Furthermore, pallets require constant refurbishing and storage,which adds considerably to their expense.

As depicted in FIG. 5B and FIG. 8 to follow, once the wrap is secured onall sides of a box, the wrap does not increase the floor space taken upby the box in any significant measure. In contrast to boxes stored onpallets, stacks of boxes protected by the waterproof reusable wraps canbe placed right next to one another on a warehouse floor or otherstorage location. Clamp-type warehouse transport machinery, which usesvertical plates to grip the stack of boxes, can be used to move suchstacks. These vertical plates can be inserted between stacks of boxeshaving very small clearance spaces interposed between them.

In addition to the issue of side clearance, the great weight of a palletfrequently limits the number of boxes 101 that can be stacked verticallyon the pallet and moved at one time by a fork lift. The weight of thepallet also frequently precludes the possibility of stacking one loadedpallet on top of another loaded pallet. Instead, in an attempt to usethe vertical space of a warehouse facility, racks are sometimesconstructed to hold the loaded pallets. These racks, the clearancespaces above and below them, and the pallets themselves combine to takeup significant amounts of vertical space. In contrast, a stack of boxes101 without pallets can include three to five times the number of boxesas a stack of the same type of boxes when stored on a pallet. Protectingthe boxes 101 with the reusable, conformable, waterproof wraps 100instead of pallets can thus allow for a much more efficient use ofvertical as well as horizontal storage space, and can thus greatlyreduce the square footage of warehouse space used to store the samenumber of boxes. Storage space for wraps 100 not in use is alsonegligible in comparison with storage space for pallets that are not inuse.

Thus, utilizing wraps can greatly reduce warehouse space used to store agiven quantity of goods and can greatly reduce warehouse costs byallowing companies to use smaller buildings for storage and spend lesslabor on loading trucks. One major U.S. toy manufacturer has estimatedthat using the reusable, conformable, waterproof wraps 100 instead ofpallets to protect their stored merchandise from ground level waterdamage can allow them to free up the equivalent of two warehousebuildings, each having over one million square feet of floor space.Another manufacturer has estimated that switching to a palletlesswarehouse system uses approximately 50% less warehouse space.

Another benefit derives from the fact that wrapped stacks generallyinclude three to five times as many boxes as can be included in palletload. Thus, another effect of being able to move the boxes as wrappedstacks is that loading a truck with boxes can be accomplished two tofive times more quickly. When each stack includes more boxes, warehouseloading vehicles can load a truck with fewer trips back and forth fromstorage locations in the warehouse to a loading dock. In addition, truckspace otherwise used to haul the pallets can be freed up for otherpurposes or to reduce the overall load on the truck.

Additionally, using wraps to protect boxes at a warehouse may reduceinsurance claims due to water damage, which in turn can lower annualinsurance premiums. In fact, the use of wraps on stacked boxes issometimes mandated by insurance companies or by government reliefagencies such as FEMA.

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings which form a part of this written description and which show,by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention canbe practiced. Where possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like components.

Numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention; however, it would be obvious toone skilled in the art that the present invention may be practicedwithout the specific details or with certain alternative equivalentdevices and methods to those described herein. In other instances,well-known methods, procedures, components and devices have not beendescribed in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of thepresent invention.

It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized andstructural changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Other embodiments of the reusable, conformable,waterproof wrap may or may not include individual features disclosedherein. Moreover, disclosed advantages and benefits may apply to onlysome embodiments, and should not be used to limit the inventions.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a reusable, conformable, waterproofwrap 100, also known for purposes of this disclosure as a wrap, strappedaround the bottom of a stack of boxes 101. Embodiments of the wrap 100can be made of one or more layers of material or materials, wherein atleast one layer includes a highly waterproof material and at least onelayer includes a very durable, abrasion-resistant material.

The wrap 100 further includes straps 110 to secure the wrap around thebase of the box 101, as will be described in greater detail below. Someembodiments can use straps 110 made of Velcro® or other hook and loopmaterial for quick and easy securing and releasing of the wrap 100 withrespect to the box 101. As depicted in FIG. 1, a portion of one or morestraps 110 can be permanently secured to the wrap 100, such as by beingsewn, at a strap origin point 115. In some embodiments, two strap originpoints 115 are positioned so as to be on two opposing sides of the box101 when in use. Portions of the straps 110 that are not permanentlysecured can be extended away from the strap origin point 115 and alongan upper edge of the wrap, as indicated by directional arrows 120. Thestraps 110 can further be releasably secured to additional pieces ofVelcro® (not shown in FIG. 1) that allow the straps 110 to hold the wrap100 firmly around the box 101 at a height H above the ground level. Someembodiments of configurations for the straps 110 are described ingreater detail with reference to FIG. 3 below. Other types of securingsystems for firmly wrapping the wrap 100 around the box 101 canadditionally or alternatively be used.

In some embodiments, the wrap 100 covers the bottom and sides of the box101 up to a desired height from the floor, indicated with referenceletter “H” in FIG. 1, in order to protect the box 101 from a flood of upto an anticipated depth of water or other liquid. For example, in someembodiments, the wrap 100 can be constructed to extend a height of 6″ upfrom the floor of the warehouse. A box protected with the wrap 100,stored on a warehouse floor without use of a pallet, can be kept safefrom ground level liquid up to approximately height H or slightly less.

As depicted in FIG. 1, by securing the wrap 100 around a bottom box 101,any boxes stacked on top of the protected box are also protected fromground level water or other liquid damage. Furthermore, protecting thebottom box 101 from moisture helps to preserve the structural integrityof the box and its ability to adequately support the stack above.

FIG. 2 depicts a plan view, not necessarily drawn to scale, of the innersheet 200 of one embodiment of the reusable, conformable, waterproofwrap 100 as seen when the wrap 100 is laid out flat, such as on awarehouse floor, and is ready to be wrapped up around the bottom of abox 101 or other item. When the wrap 100 is in use, the inner sheet 200of the wrap comes in contact with the box or other item(s) beingprotected. In some embodiments, the inner sheet 200 of the wrap 100 isrectangular in shape. In various embodiments that can be used with manycommonly-sized boxes for shipping and storing products, the dimensionsof the inner sheet 200 can be approximately 60″ by 60″ or 60″ by 52″ or60″ by 48″. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate inlight of the current disclosure that many other sizes and shapes mayalso be used for wraps 100 that fold around and provide water protectionfor items of a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

In some embodiments, the inner sheet 200 of the wrap is made of adurable, pliable, and highly waterproof material. For example, amaterial that can be used in some embodiments is a polyester filamentpolyvinyl chloride (PVC) material of polyester fibers with a PVC coatingin a thickness of 1300D×1300D. This material is pliable enough to beeasily folded and fit snugly and conformably around a box, as will bedescribed in greater detail below, and is durable enough to withstandbeing repeatedly secured around and released from boxes during theirwarehouse lifecycle, as well as maintaining its structural integrity andwaterproofing capability while being secured to boxes that are draggedor otherwise moved from place to place along an unfinished concrete orother type of floor.

In tests, this type of material, when assembled into an embodiment ofthe reusable, waterproofing wrap 100 disclosed herein has been shown tomaintain its waterproofing protection for stacks weighing 2,400 poundsand more that have been dragged six hundred yards across a concretefloor and then an additional ten trips of six hundred feet each and thenset into a 4″ pool of water. After forty-eight hours sitting in the poolof water with only the wrap 100 as protection, the wrap 100 remainedwaterproof and the boxes 101 inside remained completely dry. The wearand tear endured by the wrap 100 during this test simulates two years ofabove-average warehouse use. A second test, in which the loaded wraps100 were dragged twelve hundred yards and then ten trips of twelvehundred feet each, simulated four years of heavy warehouse use and wasalso performed on this embodiment of the wrap 100, which passed the testsuccessfully.

The inner sheet 200 is preferably not perforated, such as withstitching, except around an outer perimeter, which corresponds, when thewrap 100 is assembled on a box 101, to an upper edge of the wrap 100.Thus, the waterproofing integrity of the material of the inner sheet 200may be maintained.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the inner sheet 200 of the wrap 100 witha rectangular loading outline 225 printed, marked, glued or otherwiseaffixed to the inner sheet 200. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, theloading outline 225 defines a central portion 240 and a margin 230 of agiven width H, such as 6″, from the outside edges of the wrap 100. Thus,the loading outline 225 defines a substantially maximum area on theinner sheet 200 within which one or more boxes or other products can beplaced and still allow the margin portion 230 around the periphery ofthe wrap 100 to be folded up around the sides of the box 101 to a heightH from the ground level.

The loading outline 225 can advantageously assist one or more warehouseworkers to quickly and easily discern where to place items to be wrappedin the wrap 100 while maintaining a desired extended height H for aperimeter portion that can be folded up the sides of the items. Forexample, where an insurance company mandates that boxes stored in thewarehouse be protected from water or moisture up to a given height Hfrom the floor, the loading outline 225 assists workers to comply withthe mandate.

While the loading outline 225 provides a useful guideline for loadingthe wrap 100, the wrap 100 is advantageously configured to adaptably beused to protect articles of a variety of different sizes. Thus, whenarticles that are stacked within the central portion 240 of the innersheet 200 take up less than the full area of the central portion 240,then a perimeter portion that can be folded up along the sides of thearticles has a width wider than the width H of the margin 230. thearticles thus wrapped can be protected up to a height that isaccordingly greater than H. Because of the flexibility and foldabilityof the materials that make up the wrap 100, articles having a footprintof a range of different sizes can be wrapped tautly and in closeconformance with their sizes and shapes.

The loading outline 225 can additionally or alternatively be formed of aribbon or tape that is glued or bonded or otherwise secured to the innersheet 200 of the wrap. In some embodiments, the loading outline 225 canbe woven into or otherwise formed integrally with the material of theinner sheet 200.

In some embodiments, other methods may be used to provide guidelines fordiscerning how much of a margin 230 to leave free for folding up aroundthe boxes 101 or other items being protected by the wrap 100. Forexample, the loading outline 225 may be in the form of a circular linethat more approximately identifies a center portion of the wrap 100 uponwhich items needing protection from ground level water may be stacked.In other embodiments, a dot or other mark may be placed in thegeometrical center of the inner side 200 of the tray 100 to indicate acenter point around which a stack or other load may be placed. In stillother embodiments, the inner sheet 200 does not include a loadingoutline 225, and workers determine where to place the load without theaid of a loading outline 225.

In FIG. 2, unsecured portions of four straps 110 are depicted asextending visibly out from under the wrap 100 as the wrap 100 is laidout flat, such as on a floor. The structure and use of the straps willbe described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 3, 5A, and 5B.

FIG. 3 depicts a plan view, not necessarily drawn to scale, of theembodiment of the reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap 100 from FIG.2, as seen when the wrap 100 is flipped bottom-side up and the outersheet 300 is laid out flat for viewing. In some preferred embodiments,the outer sheet 300 of the wrap 100 is shaped and sized to match theshape and size of the inner sheet 200 of the wrap 100. The inner sheet200 and outer sheet 300 may thus advantageously be joined such that aninterior side of the inner sheet 200 and an interior side of the outersheet 300 face one another, the combination of the inner sheet 200 andthe outer sheet 300 forming a substantial portion of the wrap 100.

In use, when the wrap 100 is wrapped around a box 101, the outer sheet300 of the wrap 100 comes in contact with the ground surface on whichthe wrap 100 is resting and forms the outward facing surface of the wrap100. In certain embodiments, the outer sheet 300 of the wrap 100 is madeof a highly durable, abrasion resistant, and water resistant material.The outer sheet 300 advantageously provides a barrier between the groundon which the wrap 100 sits and the waterproof inner sheet 200 of thewrap 100, thereby protecting the inner sheet 200 from tearing, puncture,and other damage that can occur as the wrapped box is moved and that canimpair the waterproofing capability of the inner sheet 200.

In some embodiments, the outer sheet 300 is made of a heavy-weight900D×900D Denier Cordura®. For added protective capability, the Cordura®can be coated and/or permeated with a polyurethane composition.Additionally or alternatively, a thin layer of polyvinylchloride (PVC)material can be affixed to the Cordura®, such as with heat bonding or anadhesive. In other embodiments, other durable, flexible andabrasion-resistant materials, such as materials made of polyester and/ornylon, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Kevlar, and otherballistic-type materials can be used for the outer sheet 300.

Although embodiments have been described in which the inner sheet 200and the outer sheet 300 are made of two different materials, in otherembodiments, the inner and outer sheets 200, 300 of the wrap 100 can bethe same sheet and/or can be formed of the same material or of twobonded materials, or of a material that is coated on one or both sides,such as for increased waterproofing.

A dashed line 325 in FIG. 3 indicates a fold line that corresponds atleast approximately to the loading outline 225 of the inner sheet 200depicted in FIG. 2. The dashed line shows where the sides of the wrap100 can be folded up along the sides of the box 101 or other item(s)being wrapped when in use. A dotted line 330 in FIG. 3 indicates adiagonal fold line at each corner of the wrap 100 that advantageouslyallows for a quick and secure folding of the wrap 100 around the cornersof the box 101, as will be described in greater detail with reference toFIGS. 5A and 5B to follow. The dashed fold line 325 and the dotteddiagonal fold line 330 are not necessarily visible when the wrap 100 isspread out flat and, in fact, are defined upon each use by dimensions ofa load around which the wrap 100 is being folded. Thus, portions of thewrap 100 that extend beyond the load may be considered a perimeterportion that is folded up around the load, and a portion of the wrap 100that sits under the load can be considered a central portion that ispositioned between the load and a ground or other surface upon whichrest the load and the wrap 100.

As further depicted in FIG. 3, the outer sheet 300 includes one or moreriser strips 315, which can be made of a seatbelt-like webbing, such aswebbing that is a nylon-based or polyester-based material. The riserstrips 315 provide additional reinforcement to the outer sheet 300 ofthe wrap 100. In some embodiments, the riser strips 315 can be made of awebbed nylon seat-belt type material, such as a webbed riser strip of1¾″-2″ wide by a length that is at least slightly less than the lengthof the outer sheet 300. The material for the riser strips 315 may be ofany of a range of thicknesses, such as from 0.5-5.0 mm in thickness. Insome embodiments, the thickness of the material for the riser strips 315may be in range from 1.0 mm.-1.5 mm.

In some preferred embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 5B below, thethickness of the webbing 315 provides a slight amount of lift of abottom portion of the wrap 100 up off the level of the ground and arelated reduction in friction between the wrap 100 and the ground whenthe wrap 100 is being moved. Thus, a suitable type and material ofwebbing 315 can be selected based at least in part on an expectedaverage load or range of loads to be supported and protected by thereusable, conformable, waterproof wrap 100 and characteristics of anexpected ground surface. For example, in certain embodiments in whichstacks of boxes to be protected by the wraps 100 are limitedapproximately to a maximum weight of 2,400 pounds, and in which theground surface is a concrete floor, nylon webbing with a thickness of1.35 mm. can be used. For substantially heavier loads, a thicker riserstrip 315 may be desired.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, the riser strips 315 are configured tointersect at one or more intersections 320. Where the intersections 320are located, two layers of riser strips 315 overlap to form a doublethickness of the webbing. For example, when webbing with a thickness of1.35 mm. is used, the approximate thickness of the intersection 230 is2.7 mm. The intersections 320 can therefore provide “riser points” withan additional amount of protuberance and associated lift off the floorand a potential additional reduction in friction when the loaded wrap100 is pushed or dragged along the floor. Preferably, as is depicted inFIG. 3, the riser strips 315 are configured to form four intersections320 within the area defined by the folding line 325, which correspondsto the center portion of the outer sheet 300 that rests on the floorwhen the wrap 100 is in use.

The riser strips 315 may be attached to the outer sheet 300 of the wrap100 in any of a number of ways. In some embodiments, the riser strips315 are sewn to the material of the outer sheet 300. In otherembodiments, the riser strips 315 can be attached to the outer sheet 300with an adhesive that can be is waterproof and resistant to abrasion. Inanother embodiment, the riser strips may be formed integrally with thefabric of the outer sheet 300. In still other embodiments, otheradditions to the outer sheet 300 provide protection to the outer sheet300 and/or a reduction in friction when the loaded wrap 100 is moved.For example, metal or plastic buttons, knobs, or other devices may beattached to the outer sheet 300 to provide “riser points”, either as anaddition or as an alternative to the riser strips 315. In oneembodiment, a reinforcing material, such as a strip of metal, plastic,or other rigid material may, additionally or alternatively, beinterposed between the riser strip 315 and the material of the outersheet 300 for added strength and/or thickness.

In embodiments in which the riser strips 315 are sewn to the outer sheet300, the riser strips 315 can preferably be attached to the material ofthe outer sheet 300 before the outer sheet 300 and the inner sheet 200are joined, as will be described in greater detail with reference toFIG. 4 to follow. Attaching the riser strips 315 directly to the outersheet 300 but not to the inner sheet 200 advantageously avoidscompromising the waterproofing capabilities of the inner sheet 200 withneedle holes or other punctures. Other methods of joining the riserstrips 315 to the outer sheet 300, such as with an adhesive, canaccommodate attachment of the webbing riser strips 315 to the outersheet 300 after the inner sheet 200 and outer sheet 300 are alreadyattached, as well as embodiments in which the inner sheet 200 and theouter sheet 300 are formed from a single material or a bonded or coatedmaterial.

In at least some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 3, the riser strips315 on the outer sheet 300 extend beyond the boundaries of the foldingline 325 without extending all the way to the edges of the outer sheet300. For example, in one embodiment, the binding riser strips 315 areapproximately 4½ feet long on a wrap 100 that is five feet long. Oneadvantageous aspect of this configuration, in which the riser strips 315do not extend to the edges of the wrap 100, is the fact that any wateror other liquid that might wick up the fabric of the webbing riserstrips 315, when the wrap 100 is sitting for a prolonged period of timein a puddle (as a consequence of a flood or plumbing leak, for example)cannot continue wicking all the way up to the edge of the wrap 100,where it might come in contact with the box 101 or other item(s) beingprotected.

FIG. 3 further depicts a configuration for the straps 110 that allow thewrap 100 to conform securely around the base of a box 101 or other itembeing protected from ground level moisture. As depicted, a set of twostraps 110 can be attached to the outer sheet 300 of the wrap 100 ateach of two the strap origin points 115 situated on two opposing edgesof the outer sheet 300 of the wrap 100.

In at least some embodiments, a strapping system, including the straps110 in FIG. 1 as well as stationary portions 305, 310, are formed of amaterial with a high gripping power that can be released and reattachedeasily and repeatedly without losing its gripping power. One materialthat can be used advantageously for the strapping system is Velcro®, awell-known hook-and-loop type material that is available in a variety ofsizes and gripping powers. Velcro® is typically formed of twocomplementary parts capable of engaging one another: one that is formedof a “hook-like” material and one that is formed of a “loop-like”material. In FIG. 3, these two complementary aspects of the Velcro®strapping system 110, 303, 310 are depicted using a diagonal fillpattern for a first type of material and a cross-hatched fill patternfor the second type of material. For example, an underside portion ofthe straps 110 that are connected at the strap originating point 115 canbe depicted with a diagonal fill pattern, while a majority of thestationary portion 305 of a strapping system can be depicted with across-hatched fill pattern, indicating that the strap 110 and thestationary portion 305 are of complementary types and can engage andgrip one another.

Some embodiments of the reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap 100include an auxiliary gripping system for corner portions of the wrap 100that enhances the speed and ease of assembly of a wrap 100 around a box.In particular, the auxiliary gripping system can allow a single personto very effectively install a wrap 100 on the base of a box without helpfrom another person. In one test, a single worker was able to installthe wrap 100 on a box 101 in fifty-two seconds on average. A singleworker can also easily disengage the wrap 100 from a stack, such asbefore loading on t a vehicle for delivery elsewhere. This reduction inthe manpower and time needed to install the wrap 100 around the box 101can be especially relevant to warehouse operations, where labor costsare significant. As depicted in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, smallcorner portions 310 of the strapping system are formed of the same typeof the hook-and-loop material as are the undersides of the straps 110.The small corner portions 310 of the strapping system can be situatednear the corners edges of the two sides of the outer sheet 300 that donot have a strap originating point 115. Use of the small corner portions310, and of the strapping system as a whole, will be described withreference to FIGS. 5A and 5B to follow.

FIG. 4 depicts a detailed cross-section view, not drawn to scale, of abinding 400 that can be provided around an outside edge of the reusable,conformable, waterproof wrap 100, binding the inner sheet 200 and theouter sheet 300 of the wrap 100. The view depicted in FIG. 4 shows anexploded version of what would be seen if a perpendicular cut was madein one side of the wrap 100. As has been described with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3, the inner sheet 200 and the outer sheet 300 of the wrap100 can preferably share substantially the same length dimensions andcan share substantially the same width dimensions. The inner sheet 200and the outer sheet 300 can be aligned with one another so that theirouter perimeters match, such that the side of the inner sheet 200 thatincludes the loading boundary 225 faces away from the outer sheet 300and the side of the outer sheet 300 having the webbing riser stripsfaces away from the inner sheet 200. As depicted in FIG. 4, the binding400 can be formed of a strip of material that is folded lengthwise overthe aligned perimeters of the inner sheet 200 and the outer sheet 300 toenfold the perimeters of the inner sheet 200 and the outer sheet 300,with an inner side portion of the binding 400 being adjacent to theinner sheet 200 and an outer side portion of the binding 400 beingadjacent to the outer sheet 300.

In some embodiments, the width of the binding 400 is approximately twicethe width of the stationary portion 305 of the strapping system. In theembodiment shown, the stationary portion 305 of the strapping system canbe laid along the outer portion of the binding 400 and can be stitchedalong stitching lines 410 to bind all of: the outer portion of thebinding 400, the outer sheet 300, the inner sheet 200, and the innerportion of the binding 200. In some embodiments, the stitching lines 410near the perimeter of the waterproof reusable wrap 100 are the onlypunctures in the waterproof barrier provided by the inner sheet 200.Thus, there is some possibility that a very small amount of moisture maybe able to penetrate through the stitching holes of the stitching lines410, if water reaches the level of the stitching lines 410 (for example,in one illustrated embodiment, approximately 6″ above the ground level),and especially if exposed or submerged for prolonged periods of time.Below the level of the stitching lines 410, however, moisture hassubstantially no pathway for passage through the waterproof inner sheet200 to the box 101 or item(s) protected within. In some embodiments,extra waterproofing substances may be applied over the stitching lines410 for extra protection.

As described in greater detail elsewhere within this disclosure, testingperformed on an embodiment of the wrap 100 showed that after beingexposed to rigorous wear-and-tear conditions, approximately equivalentto two and four years of use, and being submerged in a 4″ pool of waterfor forty-eight hours, the wrap 100 continued to provide uncompromisedprotection against exposure to ground level water.

It is to be noted that while FIG. 4 depicts the basic construction ofthe binding 400 along one perimeter of the wrap 100, when fullyconstructed, the binding 400 can be attached along all perimeters of thewrap 100. Furthermore, as will be clear to one of ordinary skill in theart upon review of the current disclosure, while FIG. 4 depicts theprovision of two stitching lines 410, located along the edges of thestationary portion 305 of the strapping system, in other embodiments,different numbers and/or configurations of stitching lines 410 may beprovided. For example, a single stitching line 410, running along alengthwise center line of the stationary portion 305 may be provided. Inaddition, other methods for binding the strapping system to the wrap 100and for binding the inner sheet 200 to the outer sheet 300 may also beused.

In at least some embodiments, the binding 400 is made of a durablematerial that can withstand the pressures exerted upon during theattaching and detaching of the strapping system, described withreference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, and that can provide a strong edging tothe wrap 100. For example, in one embodiment a polyester material of300D×300D weight is used, and binding riser strips 400 that areapproximately 2¼″ wide can accommodate a 1″-wide riser strip of Velcro®material for the strapping system when the binding 400 is folded in halflengthwise.

FIG. 5A depicts a closer perspective view of the reusable, conformable,waterproof wrap 100 as it is being wrapped around a bottom corner of abox 101. When the box 101 is placed on the wrap 100 as positioned inFIG. 2 and the unused margin portions 230 of the wrap 100 are manuallypushed up against the box 101, a fold 500 of material forms at eachcorner of the wrap 100. The fold 500 of material can be pushed in thedirection of the arrow 515 shown in FIG. 5A, and the strap 110 can bepulled in a similar direction, extending away from the strap originatingpoint 115. The Velcro® underside of the strap 110 can engage with thecomplementary type of Velcro® material of the stationary portion 305around the edges of the wrap 100 as the strap 110 is pulled towards andaround the corner of the box 101, thereby capturing and securing thefold 500 of material flat against a side of the box 101 at the desiredheight H.

In one embodiment, one or more of the straps 110 are made of anelasticized version of the loop-type Velcro®. The elasticized strap 110can be stretched taut as it extends around the corner and engages withthe stationary portion 305, wrapping the wrap 100 in a very secure andsag-free manner around the box 101 or other item(s).

In embodiments that include the small corner portions 310 of thestrapping system, which was described with reference to FIG. 3, when thefold 500 of material is pressed flat against a side of the box 101, asindicated by the arrow 515, the Velcro® material of the small cornerportion 310 can be pressed into and can engage with the complementarytype of Velcro® material of the stationary portion 305 of the strappingsystem. The engagement of the two complementary types of Velcro®material can hold the fold 500 of material flat against the box 101 evenbefore it is secured with strap 110. Provision of the small cornerportions 310 can greatly enhance the ease and speed with which even asingle worker can secure the wrap 100 to the box 101. A worker can pressthe fold 500 flat against the box 101 with one hand, and the fold 500will remain engaged in place even if the worker's hand is removed. Theworker's hands can be freed to reach for the strap 110 and to pull itaround the corner to complete securing of the wrap 110 at the corner,without needing to also continue holding the fold 500 in place. Securinga wrap 100 around the bottom of a stack of boxes 101 can thus be carriedout by a single worker in a matter of seconds, for example, 30-45seconds.

In some embodiments, especially where very heavyweight Velcro® is usedfor the small corner portions 310 of the strapping system, the wrap 100can be secured around the box 100 without the use of the straps 110. Insome embodiments, instead of using two complementary types of Velcro®material, a single, self-engaging mixed hook-and-loop type Velcro®material can be used.

FIG. 5B depicts the closer perspective view of the reusable,conformable, waterproof wrap that was shown in FIG. 5A, after the wrap100 has been secured around the bottom corner of the box 101. When eachof the four straps 110 are extended away from the strap originatingpoint 115 to which each is attached and around a respective corner ofthe box 101 and of the wrap 100, as has been described with reference toFIG. 5A, the fold of material 500 at each corner can be flattenedagainst the box 101 and the wrap 100 can be firmly secured to the box101 to protect the box 101 from exposure to ground level moisture for aheight of H from the floor.

FIG. 5B also depicts the height 515 to which the riser strips 315 raisethe wrap 100 up off the floor, which advantageously reduces the frictionforce on the wrap when moved across a floor. The double-thickintersections 320 of the riser strips 315 can thus raise up the bottomof the wrap 100 approximately twice the distance of height 515. Once thewrap 100 has been secured onto the bottom of a box 101, the wrap 100 canremain on the box 101 and can continue to protect the box 101, as wellas any additional boxes stacked on top of the box 101, even if the stackof boxes is moved one or more times.

FIGS. 6A and 6B depict one embodiment of a marking system that can beused with the reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap 100. As shown inFIG. 6A, markings 601, 602 can be added in positions approximately nearthe corner folding lines 330 of the outer sheet 300. The sample markings601, 602 in FIG. 6A are of an approximately arrow-headed shape, and inother embodiments, other shapes of marking may be used. The markings601, 602 may be painted or otherwise printed onto the outer sheet; theymay be affixed either permanently or semi-permanently to the wrap 100using a tape or adhesive; they may be stitched to the outer sheet orformed integrally with the outer sheet 300.

As depicted in FIG. 6B, the markings 601, 602 can be added to locationson the outer sheet 300 such that when the wrap 100 is wrapped around abox 101 or other item, the markings 601, 602 join up to form a desiredconfiguration. For example, the two arrow-head shaped markings 601, 602in each corner of the outer sheet 300 in FIG. 6A join at theirrespective points when the fold 500 of material at the corners of thewrap 100 is folded and secured by the strap 110, as was described withreference to FIG. 5B. The arrow-headed shape for the marking 601 that iscloser to the fold line 330 in FIG. 6A can provide a visual cue to awarehouse worker assembling the wrap 100 regarding in which direction topress the fold 500 towards the box 101. In FIG. 6B, the desiredconfiguration for each corner of the wrap 100 is formed from twomarkings 601, 602, and in other embodiments, other numbers of markingsmay be used to form similar or different types of markingconfigurations.

As will be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of thepresent disclosure, other useful and/or decorative marking systems mayalso be used in connection with the reusable, conformable, waterproofwrap 100 disclosed herein. In one embodiment, in which wraps 100 in agiven warehouse setting are guaranteed to provide waterproofingprotection for a given time period, such as for a given number ofmonths, wraps may be differently colored to provide an easilydiscernible visual cue that can be indicative of the age of the wrap100. For example, wraps first used in January can be black, while wrapsfirst used in February can be red, and wraps first used in March can begreen, and so forth. If the wraps 100 are guaranteed for a lifetime ofeight months, then in August, all black wraps 100 can be pulled from usein the warehouse as having reached their guarantee expiration date,while wraps of the other colors may continue to be used.

FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of the reusable, conformable, waterproofwrap 100 being used to protect the top of a stack of boxes 101, such as,for example, to protect boxes 101 from inadvertent activation of anoverhead sprinkler system, to protect boxes 101 left out on a loadingdock overnight or otherwise exposed to weather. The strapping systemdescribed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5A-5B allows for quick andeasily wrapping and unwrapping of the wrap 100 around the top of the box101 or other item(s).

In order to waterproof boxes or other products from above, at least onewrap can be draped or strapped over boxes/products. The wraps 100 can bereleased within seconds of sprinklers turning off or other waterexposure stopping in order to remove wet wraps from the environment.

In some embodiments, a reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap 100 forprotecting boxes 101 and other items from above can be constructedwithout the riser strips 315, described, for example, with reference toFIG. 3. In some embodiments, the reusable, conformable, waterproof wrap100 can be constructed such that, when assembled on a box 101, theheight H of the wrap 100 is different from the height of a wrap 100constructed for other purposes. In other embodiments, a wrap 100 forprotecting boxes 101 from exposure of ground level risks can also beused to protect boxes 101 and other items from above, or for other uses.

Warehouses that do not use pallets or racks often use specializedmotorized vehicles, equipped with two adjustable vertical plates orother type of adjustable clamp for firmly gripping a stack of boxes attwo opposite sides, in order to transport the stack of boxes from onelocation to another. Using this kind of system, boxes can be stacked tonearly the height of the warehouse and stacks can be placed in veryclose proximity to one another on the warehouse floor.

FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of the reusable conformable waterproof wrap100 being gripped by the vertical clamping plates 800 of a warehousefork truck with a clamp system that can clamp onto a stack of boxes 101and can lift, drag, and/or push the stack across the floor of thewarehouse from one location to another. The warehouse vehicle typicallygrips and lifts a stack before moving it; however, it is not uncommonfor the driver to set the stack down near its final destination and thenpush it up to several feet along the concrete flooring until the stackis properly positioned. Understandably, this practice calls for a wrap100 with a high level of abrasion resistance and durability, both ofwhich are enhanced by the provision of riser strips 315 on the bottom ofthe wrap 100.

When loading wrapped stacks of boxes onto a truck for deliveryelsewhere, the clamps 800 of the warehouse vehicle can grip the stackabove the level of the wrap 100, so that the wrap 100 is not gripped bythe clamps 800. Then, either the truck or at another desired location,the clamps 800 can hold the stack elevated off the ground while one ofmore workers easily disengage the straps 310, allowing the wrap 100 tofall way from the stack. The task can be accomplished in seconds, and,thus, unlike pallets, there is no necessity for the wraps 100 to leavethe warehouse unless desired.

Manufacturing Process:

The following is a description of an exemplary but non-limitingembodiment of a manufacturing process that can be used to manufacture areusable, conformable waterproof wrap.

1. Cut a Cordura® outer sheet 300 and a PVC inner sheet 200 to matchingshapes and sizes, such as to rectangles of dimensions 52″×60″, or otherdesired dimensions. Although a rectangular or square shape is mostcommonly used, other shapes can be used to suit specially shapedproducts, warehouse space, or the like.

2. Cut four pieces of riser strip 315 material, such as 1.35 mm. thickwebbing material, to desired lengths, for example four feet long.

3. Sew the riser strips 315 to the outer sheet 300 in a wide“tic-tac-toe” configuration, each strip parallel to an edge of the outersheet 300, such that the intersections 320 fall within a central portionof the outer sheet 300 which will rest on the ground when the wrap 100is in use.

4. Stitch inner sheet 200 and the outer sheet 300 together along allfour edges, joining an interior side of the inner sheet 200 with aninterior side of the outer sheet 300. Stitch or double-stitch 1″ ExtraDurable strength Velcro® or other hook-and-loop fastener material aroundthe edges of the Cordura®/Vinyl wrap. In some embodiments, the hookportion can be sewn to the Cordura®/Vinyl wrap, while the loop portioncan be used for the straps that will be described below.

In one embodiment, two types of Velcro® are stitched around the wrap100. A first type can be the standard hook portion, as described above.A second type includes a mix of loops intermixed with the hooks. Thismixed type of Velcro® allows for a certain amount of self-fastening, andcan be useful at the corners of the wrap. The mixed type of Velcro® canbe sewn around the edges of the Cordura®/Vinyl wrap at the four corners,and the first type of Velcro® can be sewn around a middle portion ofeach edge of the Cordura®/PVC combination wrap.

In some embodiments, Velcro® used to secure the folds 500 can hold thewrap firmly wrapped around the box without the use of straps.

5. (Optional) If desired, sew an extra layer of vinyl onto the above toform an additional inner sheet 200.

6. Rectangular lines can be printed onto the inner sheet 200 forindicating optimal placement of boxes or box configurations within aloading boundary 225. In some embodiments, the lines can be printed onbefore the vinyl and Cordura® are sewn together. In some embodiments,lines can be glued on or otherwise affixed to the “inside face” of thevinyl to help center and guide placement of a box 101 or other producton the wrap 100.

7. Cut two long pieces of Loop Velcro® and stitch them to theCordura®/Vinyl wrap 100 to form straps 310. In some embodiments, onepiece of the loop Velcro® can be attached to each of the two longersides of the Cordura®/PVC wrap (or, if the wrap can be shaped as asquare, to two opposing sides of the square). For each strap, the centerof the Velcro® strap can be sewn very securely to the center of theouter edge, with the loops facing so that they can be pulled around toengage with the hook (or mixed hook and loop) portions of the Velcro®sewn on to the Cordura®/PVCwrap.

8. Print or stitch on any additional markings desired.

It can be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that in otherembodiments, the steps for manufacturing the wraps can be performed in avariety of different sequences and using a variety of materials. Instill other embodiments, other manufacturing methods can be used formaking the waterproof reusable wraps.

Assembly/Wrapping Process

The following is a description of an exemplary but non-limitingembodiment of an assembly process that can be used to fit the reusable,conformable waterproof wrap onto one or more articles.

1. Lay wrap 100 on the floor with the outer sheet 300 side face down onthe floor. The inner sheet 200 side faces up with the printed loadingoutline 225 (if any) showing.

2. Place a stack of boxes or other articles within the printed loadingoutline 225, if provided, of the inner sheet 200. If an indicator of thecenter point of the inner sheet 200 is provided, center the load at thecenter point. If no loading outline 225 is provided, leave a sufficientunused perimeter portion around the periphery of the wrap 100 which isat least approximately equal to a desired height H to which the wrap 100extends up the sides of the box 101 when the wrap 100 is completelyassembled on the box 101.

3. Beginning at any one of the four corners of the wrap 100, grasp thecorner of the wrap 100, holding both left and right sides, and bring thetwo sides together to meet equally along the fold line 330, forming afold 500 of fabric. Press the fold 500 over to one side, securing thehook Velcro® and the loop Velcro® on the perimeter of the wrap 100 toone another.

4. Grab a strap 110 and pull the strap 110 around the corner tightly tosecure the fold 500 flat against the box 101. Pulling the strap 110 tautbefore engaging with the stationary portion 305 of the strapping systemhelps to avoid excess sagging of the wrap 100 as it is folded around thebox 101. Preferably, the wrap 100, where folded at the corner creates avertical line along the side of the box 101 to most completely conformto the shape of the box 100 and avoid allowing water to leak into sidesof the wrap 100.

5. Repeat step 3 and step 4 for the remaining three corners.

The wrap 100 is now secured and conformed to the stack of boxes 101,which can be picked up and relocated when desired by the clampingvehicle.

Disassembly/Unwrapping Process

The following is a description of one embodiment of a disassemblyprocess for use with the reusable, conformable waterproof wrap.

Pull Velcro® or loop straps 110 away from all four sides. The wrap 100now lies approximately flatly on the ground. The unwrapped stack ofboxes can then be ready to be lifted, moved, or loaded onto truck. Ifdesired, the wrap 100 can remain attached to boxes when truck is loadedutilizing clamps versus forks.

Alternative Embodiments

Although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of certainpreferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond thespecifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodimentsand/or uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalentsthereof.

For example, in various embodiments, other materials may provide thewaterproofing and abrasion-resistance of the inner and outer sheets.Additionally or alternatively, one or more materials can be used as anadditional inside layer 200 or outside layer 300 of the wrap 100 toaccommodate pallets, heavier loads and more puncture-prone products.

In some embodiments, the strapping system of the wrap 100 may use a typeof strap other than Velcro®. For example, straps with buttons, grommets,loops, buckles, ties, or other fastening methods may be used. In someembodiments in which Velcro® or another fastening system is used tofirmly hold down the folds 500 at the corners of the box 101, straps maybe omitted from the wrap 100.

Furthermore, although certain embodiments are described herein withrespect to their use for wrapping a single box, embodiments of the wrapmay also be used to wrap a plurality of boxes, especially when suchboxes form the bottom of a stack of boxes. Furthermore, the reusable,conformable, waterproof wraps can also be used with containers ofvarious other types and/or for protecting products that are not enclosedwithin a container. Additionally, although embodiments are describedherein with respect to their use in a warehouse setting, and withrespect to protection from contact with water, the reusable,conformable, waterproof wraps can also be used in any of a wide varietyof other locations in which it is desirable to protect items, such asfrom exposure to water or other liquid or to dirt, dust, or othercontaminants. For example, the wraps 100 may be used in home garages forsmall individual boxes, for storage at docks and for loading docks, toprotect items in a truck bed to waterproof boxes on office floors,and/or for use underneath furniture in furniture warehouses to avoidwater damage in event of flood, rain, and the like. Wraps 100 can beused in planting to provide a water barrier between plants. Wraps 100can also be useful at parts stores, construction sites, and the like.Wraps 100 can advantageously be used for warehouses overseas where spacemay be limited, such as in dense industrial areas in Japan and/or China.The wraps can also be used to store boxes and other items in the bed ofa pick-up or other truck, where they can be exposed to residual water,dirt, or other risk factors in the truck bed. The wraps can also beuseful for just-in-time (JIT) delivery systems, in which warehouses canuse their shipping/receiving docks as staging areas for fast deliveries.

Additionally, the wraps 100 can provide great benefit in areas of thecountry that are prone to heavy rains and/or flooding and could providean important component to FEMA requirement for residents and companieslocated in Katrina-type environments.

In addition, while several variations of the inventions have been shownand described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scopeof these inventions, will be readily apparent to those of skill in theart based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that variouscombination or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects ofthe embodiments can be made and still fall within the scope of theinventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects ofthe disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for oneanother in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions.Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the presentinventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particulardisclosed embodiments described above.

1. A wrap for protecting at least a bottom portion of at least one article from exposure to moisture, the wrap comprising: an outer sheet of at least one flexible material, the outer sheet having an exterior side and an interior side; an inner sheet of flexible, highly waterproof material, the inner sheet having an interior side and an exterior side, the interior side of the inner sheet joined to the interior side of the outer sheet, such that the joined combination of the inner sheet and the outer sheet has a perimeter portion and is sized and configured to extend under a bottom portion of at least one article, the perimeter portion of the joined combination of the inner sheet and the outer sheet further configured to extend outwardly beyond the bottom portion of the at least one article and to fold up along sides of the at least one article; and a releasable securing system configured to hold the perimeter portion of the joined combination of the inner sheet and the outer sheet flat against the sides of the at least one article, until the securing system is released.
 2. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the releasable securing system is attached to the exterior side of the outer sheet.
 3. The wrap of claim 2, wherein the releasable securing system provides sufficient binding pressure on the perimeter portion to maintain a desired height of the perimeter portion against the sides of the at least one article until the securing system is released.
 4. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the inner sheet is made of a material comprising polyester and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
 5. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the outer sheet is made of a material comprising heavy-weight Cordura®.
 6. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the releasable securing system comprises one or more straps that hold the folded perimeter portion flat against the sides of the at least one article.
 7. The wrap of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more straps comprises Velcro® material.
 8. The wrap of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of riser strips attached to the exterior side of the outer sheet.
 9. The wrap of claim 1, further comprising at least one riser point attached to a central portion of the exterior side of the outer sheet, such that, in use, the riser point is positioned below the at least one article being protected by the wrap, the riser point further being positioned between the exterior side of the outer sheet and a ground surface upon which the at least one article and the wrap are resting, the riser point further configured to reduce a level of friction to which the exterior side of the outer sheet is exposed when the at least one article and the wrap are moved across the ground surface.
 10. The wrap of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of riser strips attached to the exterior side of the outer sheet, wherein at least two of the plurality of riser strips intersect; forming an intersection, and wherein the at least one riser point is formed from the intersection of the at least two of the plurality of riser strips.
 11. The wrap of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional sheet of material interposed between the inner sheet and the outer sheet.
 12. A flexible conformable waterproof wrap configured to waterproof bottom portions of articles of different sizes, the flexible conformable waterproof wrap comprising: at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material configured to extend under at least one article that is placed on the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material, the at least one article having dimensions that define a perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material, wherein the perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material extends out from under the at least one article when the at least one article rests on the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material, the perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material configured to conformably fold up flat along the at least one article; and a releasable securing system configured to hold the perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material flat up along the at least one article, in conformance with the size of the at least one article.
 13. The flexible conformable waterproof wrap of claim 12, wherein the releasable securing system is further to hold the perimeter portion up in conformance with articles of various sizes.
 14. The flexible conformable waterproof wrap of claim 12, wherein the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material is further configured to extend over at least one article, the perimeter portion further configured to extend out over the at least one article; and wherein the releasable securing system is further configured to hold the perimeter portion of the at least one flexible waterproof sheet of material flat down along the at least one article, in conformance with the size of the at least one article.
 15. A wrap comprising: at least one sheet of material with a central portion that is sized and configured to extend under at least one article, the at least one sheet of material configured to be folded up around the bottom portion of the at least one article, wherein the central portion has an interior side that faces towards the at least one article when the at least one sheet of material is folded up around the bottom portion of the at least one article, the central portion further having an exterior side that faces away from the at least one article when the at least one sheet of material is folded around the bottom portion of the at least one article; a releasable securing system that holds folds of the at least one sheet of material flat against sides of the at least one article until the securing system is released; and a plurality of riser strips attached to the exterior side of the central portion of the at least one sheet of material, at least one of the riser strips having a thickness that causes the at least one riser strip to extend down from the central portion of at least one sheet of material when in use and to hold the central portion of at least one sheet of material slightly elevated up from a surface upon which the wrap and the at least one article are resting.
 16. The wrap of claim 15, wherein at least two of the plurality of riser strips are configured to intersect to form an intersection that protrudes down from the central portion of the at least one sheet of material.
 17. The wrap of claim 16, wherein the wrap comprises four riser strips that are configured to intersect to form four intersections that protrude down from the central portion of the at least one sheet of material.
 18. The wrap of claim 15, wherein at least one of the riser strips is made of seatbelt webbing that is manufactured, at least in part, from nylon.
 19. The wrap of claim 15, wherein the thickness of the at least one of the riser strips is between 0.5 mm. and 5.0 mm.
 20. The wrap of claim 19, wherein the thickness of the at least one of the riser strips is between 1.0 mm. and 1.5 mm. 